Different Graphs

Graphs are tools which help to illustrate data and make the information more understandable to the audience. There are many different types of graphs, i.e. pie graphs, bar graphs, line graphs just to name a few, and each is utilized for a different purpose. In creating a graph, the person must decide which type will best illustrate the information that they need to convey (Graphs). They also must choose the parameters and categories by which the graph will be labeled and explained to the person looking at it.

For most graphs, the ultimate purpose is relation, showing how one piece of information is related to or changes with the inclusion of another piece of information. Bar Graphs As its name suggests, a bar graph is made up of a series of bars which represent different categories of information. By lining the bars against one another, the information that they contain is directly compared (Department).

Bar graphs are constructed by defining items on a x and y-axis and plotted by identifying the information based on the two variables defined on the axis. Line Graphs Line graphs are also designed with information related to an x and y-axis. It also shows a relationship between two pieces of information. First, information that is related to the label on the x-axis is found and then data related to the y is identified and the data incorporated into the graph (Graphs).

However, rather than a bar, a dot is placed at the point where the x and y data meet. After all the data points have been recorded, a line is drawn connecting the dots so that a pattern can be discerned. Pie Chart Pie charts are unique graphs in that they are firstly circular in shape. Secondly, pie charts are used only to display information as it relates to a whole. The totality of data percentages, 100%, represents the entirety of the circle (Department).

The circle is then broken down into wedges, like pieces of a pie. Each wedge represents a percentage of the data. For example, a wedge which represents 25% of the whole will have a wedge that is 1/4 of the total circle. Area Graphs Area graphs are similar in appearance to line graphs except that they contain several lines of data and have the area between lines filled in to represent different groups or people (Skau).

Also, line graphs tend to show information within a period of time for one variable or two, but area graphs can show trends over time for more than one entity. It is only recommended that these types be used when dealing with a larger array of information as individual pieces of data can be obscured.

X-Y Plot or Scatter Plot Graph Like some of the other types, x-y plot graphs, also known as scatter plot graphs, are a comparison of two things, one being labeled and represented by the x-axis and the other being labeled and represented by the y-axis (Skau). In drawing the graph, there is no real attempt to connect the pieces of information.